OFFICE AND THE FEMALE CO–WORKERS: LEARN HOW TO APPROPRIATELY ACT AROUND AND WITH THE LADIES AT YOUR WORKPLACE.

Women have come a long way from the image of the traditional house wife working at home to successful professionals in various different workplaces. Like it or not, women are marching up the corporate ladder and bringing in a very welcome diversification to the various industries.

It is not unlikely for women to create a facade for the office which completely differs from what they are like on a personal level, but that is not always the case. That is why you cannot afford to treat female co-workers in the same way you treat the male co-workers. This does not mean that you segregate them at the office, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

For instance, you can’t really bond with a female co-worker by busting their balls, like you would with a male co-worker. “My dead grandma walks faster than you” might not fare as well with a female co-worker struggling with her heels up a flight of stairs as it would with a male buddy.

It is clear that men and women have some fundamental differences when it comes to connecting and communicating. This has left many men in corporates thinking how is it that they can actually be friends with their female workmates or talk to them without giving the impression of being too sexist. Here we have listed a few tips that will help you to deal with women at your office.

Here we have listed a few tips that will guide you on what you should do and should not do while dealing with a co-worker.

GIVING COMPLIMENTS

There’s nothing wrong with noticing an attractive outfit or smile, nor briefly complimenting it, at work or anywhere else. If you tell a woman she looks lovely, this is never wrong. Now if you tell her that every day, it may turn out to be a little creepy.

What you shouldn’t do: Avoid using phrases like, “You do that so well for a girl” or “You look so much better.” Your intentions might be right but there are ample chances that she might take it the wrong way.

THE DOOR PHILOSOPHY!

Men worry about doors, don’t they? For some reason, the borderline between gallantry and sexism is not very distinct. The doorway decorum is still not entirely clear. I would suggest that you not worry too much about door opening etiquettes. However it is always appropriate to invite a woman to walk through a doorway first if you reach it at the same time, or hold the door open if she’s carrying something.

What you shouldn’t do:Don’t barge ahead of a woman to get through a door, ignoring both her and the heavy box she’s struggling with.

USING JESTS/TRASH TALKING

Without a little humour, life would be extremely dull. But, jokes amongst men tend to take it a step too far into borderline repulsive. Joking around women is just fine; just get a grip on what you say. Don’t make it too crude.

What you shouldn’t do: Joke about her just because you can joke around her. (Women can be extremely sensitive when the joke is on them).

Don’t go around hugging people or holding unnecessarily long on handshakes, even with male co-workers. You do not want to come off as a creep.

DEALING WITH TEARS

What do you do when a woman cries in the office? Yes, women do tend to tear up more easily than men do, but that doesn’t indicate a weaker character, merely a more expressive one. Understand that’s its quite normal for many women to get a bit tearful when things get too out of hand.

If you are extremely bad at dealing with such situations, either hide somewhere till she is okay or go ahead, be a gentleman, offer a hanky and ask, if she is alright.

What you shouldn’t do: Asking “Are you on your periods?” or completely ignoring the tears, passing on sexist comments such as “what’s with women and crying?”

KEEPING DISTANCE

Touching co-workers, regardless of the gender is all conditional at the office. As a rule of thumb though, avoid unnecessary touching. Now, with female co-workers the rule should be further enforced. At the office, you may have to set certain limits when it comes to physical distance as inadvertent touches could cause awkward situations. Well, there is a simple solution if you have no idea as to how close too close is, just give her enough room to spin on her heels without bumping into you.

What you should not do: Don’t go around hugging people or holding unnecessarily long on handshakes, even with male co-workers. You do not want to come off as a creep.

THE DRUNKEN TRUNK

Many nine-to- fivers prefer going out for drinks on Friday nights with their office associates. Yes, sounds fun, however this can also cause awkward gender relations, as women get drunk on a lot less alcohol than men, yet feel obliged to keep up as a sign of general professional equality. Having taken only the same amount as would cause a man to slur slightly, the same amount might cause a woman to lose her footing on a flat floor. So how does the elegant office chap deal with the problem if your female co-worker is trying to keep up with the drink? The only simple way, drink slowly yourself!

What you should not do: Slamming a new cocktail on the table every five minutes and suggesting bottoms-up.

Despite having proven themselves more than capable of fending in the professional world, men still have trouble considering the female co-workers as equals. Because of this women are treated differently for all the wrong reasons. Try these easy guidelines and see how it helps to work alongside all those ladies in your office like a gentleman.

TNM Team

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